D300s Successor-D400, what and when

heartyfisher

So lets look at this from a diff direction .. What would be in a D400 that is currently NOT in a D800?
Considering that the D800 is a 16Mp Dx camera !

1) for me firstly is the price .. expected price of 1800 vs 2600 is a sizable diff.
2) FPS expected is atleast 8fps vs 4fps
3) Weight and size. 825g(D300) vs 900g(D800) (hmm less diff than I expected. D7100=675g)
4) More MP. 24 vs 16mp in DX
5) 2.7x and 2x crop mode.



Rumored
* Better AF ?
* Better Video ?

Hoped for but extremely unlikely.
* Better High ISO capability.
* 16MP with 12FPS and 128000 native ISO
* "EX" 1.33 crop sensor.

?? Anything else? any one want to add to each of these 3 lists ?

Msmoto

As this is the thread of wishing, demanding, fantasy, and complete guessing, I think we can actually be anticipating some type of leak or sophisticated guessing again on the introduction of the D400. If Nikon is announcing this in September, someone should have a hint in the next month or so.

sevencrossing

So lets look at this from a diff direction .. What would be in a D400 that is currently NOT in a D800?

or the D4 or D7100 or D600

very little
price ? D7100 or D600
fps ?D4
ISO ? D4
better AF? all of the above are pretty good
video ?

Yes Video is were Nikon seems to lose out to canon
the D400 will have to a USP and video seems to be what the next generation want

ricochet

I agree that all (or most) of the features I want are available right now in various cameras. The point is I want all my preferred features in ONE camera. I would love to have a D4 for those instances when I want high fps, anyone out there willing to buy one for me? I didn't think so. In the mean time, I'll continue to wish and hope for a camera with the anticipated (hoped for) specs of the D400. As for the name, for those hung up on that argument, remember Shakespeare's "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". If it has the feature set I want, I don't care what they call it, I'll buy it.

1nikon

I think the D400 needs to have all the functionality that magic lantern gives Canon bodys.. Like focus peaking zebras, focus stacking, bulb ramping and RAW video. all of that.

You guys did say this was a thread of fantasy. So theres mine.

Photobug

heartyfisher said:

So lets look at this from a diff direction .. What would be in a D400 that is currently NOT in a D800?

I have a "hunch" that the D400 will be in a smaller body than a D800. As I have stated several times I want the D800 body but I just have that nagging hunch that it's going to be smaller, similar to the D600 and D7100..

Although I don't use the video function, I look for Nikon to catch up to Canon and catch everyone by surprise. That is part of the delay.

And Msmoto is spot on, we should see leaks on the D400 next month if it's coming in September.

I expect very little difference between the D800 and D400. Differences:
--Price point, $2,200 - 2,400
--Burst rate. more like D4
--ISO, want more but expect it will be similar to D4
--AF, better
--Modifications to back panel buttons and more consolidation like the D7100

See waiting for that "leak" from Japan or the UK.

Msmoto

I am going to do some more guessing....the AF system will be better than the current D4 system. The buffer will be able to handle 30 images at 9 FPS from a 24MP sensor. The processor will be improved over the current lineup. Announcement date will correspond with Canon's EOS 7D Mark II. No AA filter. Body..about the same as D300s or like a D800....

Photobug

This is so boring waiting until September. Wish some one in Japan would leak some technical info on the D300/D300S replacement. It's been quiet too long.

1skully

I find that I come straight to NRF every day now hoping for some news on a D300s replacement. I am getting discouraged that we are not hearing any leaks and expect a camera by September.
Msmoto if the replacement has your specs it will be one of Nikons best sellers.

Photobug

Quote:
Msmoto if the replacement has your specs it will be one of Nikons best sellers.

Amen! Then we would have the same situation with the D300 when it was introduced...dealers really did not get good inventory for six months. I would love to see that happen...again. Please.

donaldejose

"Thus, this is as good as time as any for me to repeat my speculation about what else might be announced this year. I expect to see no more than two DSLRs launched in the remainder of 2013: the D400 and the D4x. The D4x seems to be almost a lock, with really only the timing and the sensor choice being unknown at this point. Rumors have it that there's a new version of a high pixel count sensor floating around in test, so we will probably get something slightly better than "the D800 sensor in a D4 body."

The D400, having been postponed once, seems less certain but clearly inevitable. The longer Nikon delays a D400 the more they risk losing customers to others as well as decrease in the potential market size for the product in the first place as some consumers decide to go elsewhere in Nikon's lineup. Once again, though, the primary question is what's happening at the sensor. All the other aspects of a D400 seem pretty easily guessed at, but since the D400 would have a longer life cycle than all the other DX cameras, I think just stuffing one of the existing 24mp sensors inside would be a slight disappointment. It's clear that the D400 got delayed once. Had it made that original announce date, it would have been one of the first 24mp DX cameras, if not the first. But it seems it slipped out of cycle and now the sensor question is the big factor in when it will appear: the top end of the DX line really needs to have a top-end sensor that can last through a couple of consumer DX sensor updates and not look out-of-date (the current D300s problem in a nut shell)." Thom Hogan

I am with Thom on this. A great D400 and a D4s with a 48mp sensor sometime before the end of 2013. And I might add if you match the DX D400 sensor with the new Sigma F1.8 zoom and the 85mm Nikon f1.8 or Nikon 105 f2.8 macro you may well be able to do 90% of what most ordinary people do with much more expensive FX equipment.

blackfox

well the specs for the new canon 70d have been leaked as below
Canon EOS 70D Specifications

20.2mp CMOS Sensor
DIGIC 5+
19pt AF System (All Cross Type)
7fps
Built-in WiFi
3″ Vari-Angle Touch Screen LCD
ISO 12,800 Maximum
Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus
Full HD Video
HDR
Multiexposure Mode
LP-E6 Battery
Announcement on July 2, 2013
cr

so i wonder if nikon will follow this up over the weekend ,according to what seems common knowledge nikon have been waiting for the 7d replacement before launching a D400 ,lets see what happens
WATCH THIS SPACE !!!!

PB_PM

The 70D is a D7100 competitor, not a Dxxx competitor.

Andrewz

My D300 just died! Don't want to fix it or buy a new one. What a D400 to replace it! Nikon please make it real soon!

Ironheart

@Andrewz, what was the cause of death? A stuck shutter can usually be revived and might last until D400 time.

SNRatio

I have found the D7100 to be a very good temporary solution to the missing D400 problem. I figured out that even if it is introduced in August/September, it will take quite some time before I have my copy, and when I don't need real pro build quality right now, the other weaknesses of the D7000 are to a large extent addressed in the D7100.

I just hope that Nikon does not interpret good D7100 sales as indication that the D400 may be skipped, but I think there is no danger - there are so many features (or lack thereof) of the D7100 pointing to an upcoming semi-pro model.

Lack of processing bandwidth may have been a reason for postponing, but right now I think it is the sensor. Not primarily to achieve better 'classical' image quality, but to implement more efficient on-chip AF assistance functionality etc. Furthermore, half-baked video functionality won't be tolerable this time.

What Nikon is not going to provide is "FF-like high ISO", with decent ISO 12800 performance. Physical limitations can't be trumped, and a full exposure @12800 on the D7100 is only about 250 electrons per pixel. So the first histogram quartile is about 64 electrons, giving a signal/noise-ratio for the Poisson shot noise in the shadows of about 8. Compare that to about S/N 90 in the same shadows @100 ISO. Binning is a way out, but it doesn't come for free. When there is enough light, there is no end to the tricks that may be applied to compensate for small pixels, but under dark conditions, there is no getting away from the fact that at the same shutter speed/aperture, the FX sensor gets twice as many photon hits as the DX. And as the quantum efficiency of the D7100 sensor is estimated at 52% (vs 29% for the D300), and the read noise is 1-2 electrons, there is simply not that much to improve - short of binning or other pooling techniques.

blackfox

never mind the quantum poissons of the photons LOL if nikon don't get there fingers out of there backsides PDQ they are gonna lose a hell of a lot of wildlife guys to canon ,if this new 70d comes in at the right price range and with a decent buffer and picture quality ,it might be a case of watch out e/bay here i come

Msmoto

August, that is my guess for the announcement. And the D4x...about the same time....

sevencrossing

they are gonna lose a hell of a lot of wildlife guys to canon ,

Every one I know who is a serious wildlife photographer is already a canon user

PB_PM

they are gonna lose a hell of a lot of wildlife guys to canon ,

Every one I know who is a serious wildlife photographer is already a canon user

Funny, I have the exact opposite experience. More seriously, I I find it a rather even split in terms of serious wildlife photogs.

1skully

I love my Nikon gear and feel the controls are so intuitive, maybe it is i have used Nikon for so long. There have been times I have thought of switching to Canon but I don't want to go through all the hassles of selling my gear and learning a new system. Like I said I do love my Nikon gear, just ready for a D400 with the features we have discussed on this forum and possibly a D4x.

Photobug

Sevencrossing said:
Every one I know who is a serious wildlife photographer is already a canon user

Unfortunately it's the same here.

The question, when is Nikon going to get off their chairs and do something. One month done and another month to go to the announcement.

Wonder if Nikon is doing everything possible to avoid/stop the leaks and once the word does get out it's going to come out from multiple sources. Hope Hope Hope I am right.

spraynpray

I expect that right now there are a number of bloggers who have tested prototype D400's and written a draft posting who have their fingers poised to post some leaks when given the green flag.... ~X( )

sevencrossing

I Furthermore, half-baked video functionality won't be tolerable this time.

It seems, that it is video, were Canon continues to beat Nikon
Whether Nikon tries to takes on the Canon 70D with a D400 or a D7200 remains to be seen
my money is on a D7200

SNRatio

they are gonna lose a hell of a lot of wildlife guys to canon ,

Every one I know who is a serious wildlife photographer is already a canon user

Funny, I have the exact opposite experience. More seriously, I I find it a rather even split in terms of serious wildlife photogs.

From wildlife photog's contributions to brand-independent photo web sites, the majority seems to be Canon users, but with quite a few using Nikon: D300, D7000, D3s, D4, D800 and recently D7100. Many bird shooters like the D7100 a lot. And I'm not at all sure the new 70D will blow the D7100 away in shootouts. Because of some obvious extra features like wifi on-chip AF functionality and better sustained frame rate, many will probably prefer Canon.

But the only reason I can see for leaving out such features from the D7100, is to differentiate it from the semi-pro model. Also, Nikon's financial forecast for this fiscal year predicts a substantial increase in average price/DSLR. Which I think it will be hard to attain with the D7100/D4X (or D4s added) alone.